You Belong With Me
by BigKat3250
Summary: Song-fic. "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift. Gabriella finally gathers the courage to take what belongs to her.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So I was listening to "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift, and this story just popped into my head and wouldn't leave.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical or the song**

_You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset_

_She's going off about something that you said_

'_Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do_

"Come on, I wasn't being serious."

I can hear the escalating conversation as I wait for Troy in his room. He's having yet another fight with Natalie, his Barbie-doll girlfriend. I've never understood what he sees in her, besides her perfect face, hair, body…Okay; I think I just answered my own question. But when you put aside her physical beauty all that is left is pure bitch.

They have absolutely no reason to be together. Sure, they're probably the most popular people in the entire student body of East High, but that's as far as their commonalities go.

Troy is pretty much the best person I know. He became popular because he's a genuinely nice guy who can turn any situation into a good time. Natalie climbed the social ladder through a frightening amount of self-determination. The only reason someone doesn't get in her face about her lack of a soul is because they are afraid she will commit an act of unspeakable evil upon them. And I'm not even exaggerating.

_I'm in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night_

_I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like_

_And she'll never know your story like I do_

As Troy's voice rises, so does the music. I mean, I'm not going to invade his privacy, no matter how much I want to. In order to achieve this piece of good karma, I focus on the genius of The Killers. This is another difference between Troy and Natalie. He listens to good music, while Natalie prefers the generic Top 40 hits, the ones that always seem to recycle the same lyrics and beats.

I look up as the door slams, turning down the music when I see the look on his face. Being friends with someone for ten years does have its advantages, including the ability to understand their mood just from a facial expression.

"Wow. I'm guessing that wasn't a happy conversation." I try to say this in a soothing voice, hoping it will have an affect on his mood. He lets a humorless laugh escape his mouth and lands on the bed next to me, completely invading my personal space.

"You could say that. I'm starting to wonder if Natalie even has a sense of humor. Lately, it just seems that everything I say she takes the wrong way." I give Troy a sympathetic look, trying to hide my frustration that he hasn't dumped her undeserving ass yet.

They've been dating for a few months, and it's progressively gotten worse. It started out like any relationship does, full of hugs, kisses, and sickening endearments. But the longer they were together, it became clear to me that Natalie didn't want Troy the person; she just wanted Troy the basketball star. At first, I just thought it was the typical thing that couples do after they really get to know each other and find that there are aspects to the other that they don't particularly like. Natalie would tell Troy she didn't like his clothes, or his hair, or the stuff he said and did, or who he spent his time with (mainly, this meant me). She ended up wanting to change everything about Troy besides his status. Troy, being the trusting guy that he is, said that she was just stating her opinion, and he liked that she was so honest. Did I mention that he can be pretty stupid sometimes? Her little act didn't get past me though. I've always seen here for what she truly is, which is probably the reason why she hates me so much. But hey, I'm not too fond of her either.

"Maybe I should tell her it would be a good idea to take a break." He says this as if he's talking to himself, but that won't stop me from putting in my opinion. I open my mouth to tell him that this break should last eternity, but his cell phone interrupts. As he looks at the screen, I can see the picture of Natalie's face appear on the screen. Does this girl have timing or what? Troy opens the text message and I read along, using my sneaky ninja skills so he won't notice. It's a long apology for their fight earlier, with a promise at the end that she wants to make it up to him. From the smile on Troy's face, I can tell that Natalie's idea of "making up" doesn't involve a lot of clothes. Here come the scarring mental pictures. This is the only reason I can think of that Troy would stay with Natalie. Like I said, Troy is a great guy, but he is still exactly that, a guy. It pains me to admit this, but Natalie is definitely the perfect version of every teenage male's fantasy. I, on the other hand, fly pretty much under the radar. Don't get me wrong, I'm not hideous or anything, I'm just not the type of girl to spend hours in front the mirror. I figure, if I'm comfortable with how I look, it doesn't matter what others think.

I'm so lost in my own head that I miss the opportunity to stop Troy from forgiving that she-devil. As I look over, his finger has just pushed the send button, probably delivering Troy's acceptance over Natalie's lame apology and a suggestion for them to hook up later tonight. The mere thought of them together sends pain right through my heart, which leads to the most important thing concerning me and Troy.

I'm completely in love with him, have been for years. And Troy has no idea that I feel this way for him.

_But she wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts_

_She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers_

_Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find_

_That what you're looking for has been here the whole time_

_If you could see that I'm the one who understands you _

_Been here all along, so why can't you see?_

_You, you belong with me, you belong with me_

I understand that I'll never be what Troy is looking for. I'm the girl he's known since he was seven, the person he considers to be one of his best friends. That doesn't mean it stops me from hoping that one day, he'll notice me for the girl that knows him better than anyone, and that he's madly in love with me too. Hey, a girl can dream, right?

The only thing that stands between me and my little fantasy is Natalie. She's everything I'm not. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but there are some things about her that I'm a little jealous of. Like her ability to command all the male attention in a room. Or the facts that she's been closer to Troy than I ever have been or ever will be. As long as she's in the picture, I don't stand a chance of Troy noticing me the way I want him to. As my thoughts have taken me into a less than chipper mood, I decide that it's time to say good-bye to Troy before I spill my heart out, something that I would unquestionably regret.

"Well, as riveting as this has been, I have to get home. I have a shit load of calculus homework left, plus I have to write a rough draft for my English essay." Did I mention I was a total nerd?

Troy looks up, my words effectively distracting him from his texting. "Oh, okay. I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

I nod my head in the affirmative while grabbing my jacket and heading outside. As I walk towards my car, I look back in the direction of Troy's bedroom window. I hate to admit it, but I know that I'll never tell him how I feel. I'm too scared that if I do, it will ruin the great friendship that we have, and I'd rather keep my feelings bottled up than risk losing him altogether.

_Walking the streets with you and your worn-out jeans_

_I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be _

_Laughing on a park bench, thinking to myself_

_Hey, isn't this easy?_

The next day, I'm waiting for Troy after school. He has a game today, and we usually hang out beforehand. He says it helps him relax so he's not so nervous when it's game time. I'm sitting on a bench by the park, waiting for Troy, who's late.

"Brie!" I look up, trying to locate the source of my name. My eyes land on Troy, his smile noticeable even from a distance. I give the rest of his body a once over, liking what I see. I swear that jeans were invented for the sole purpose of making girls drool over how they looked when worn by Troy Bolton.

He flops down next to me, casually throwing an arm across my shoulders. We sit there in a comfortable silence, enjoying the feeling of peace we always feel when around each other, or at least I am. I don't know what's going on in that gorgeous head of his.

"So we're going to kill West tonight. Chad's already planning the party." He breaks the silence with something that he's been repeating for the past week. I can tell he's nervous about tonight, and he has reason to be. If East wins, the region championship is basically ours, and as captain, everyone's expecting him to lead us to victory. No pressure.

"Of course you are. West sucks, that's no secret. And if it makes you feel better, even if you lose, you'll always be a winner in my heart."

He laughs, which was my intention. After that, Troy loosens up and we talk about all the random stuff that we usually do. For as long as we've been friends, we've told each other everything. Troy even told me about the night that he lost his virginity. Or should I say he tried to, but I tackled him before he could go into detail.

_And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town_

_I haven't seen it in a while since she brought you down_

_You say you're fine, I know you better than that_

_Hey, what ya doing with a girl like that?_

I love Troy's smile. I've never met anyone with a more beautiful one than his, and that's another reason why I hate Natalie. Ever since they started dating, I've been seeing less and less of it. Even now, when it's just the two of us, I can tell that something is bothering him.

"You okay?" I ask while looking into those incredible blue eyes. The first time I met him, when we were little kids, I thought they weren't real. I honestly thought that it was a trick, because there was no way that eyes could be that blue. Of course now I know that he was just blessed with good genes.

"Fine." It's a lie, that much I can tell right away. He confirms my suspicions by averting his eyes away from mine. I don't have to ask to know what the problem is. It's been the same answer for weeks now. Natalie has been driving him crazy with what Troy calls constant PMS, and she's probably the reason why he was late meeting me. The one thing that we don't talk about is Troy's relationship with her. For some reason, whenever I ask him why he's with her, he gets all offended, so it's just become an unspoken rule that we don't talk about her.

We sit in a now awkward silence, one that is so different from the one earlier. Finally, Troy stands to leave, saying he needs to get ready for the game. It's another lie, because the game doesn't start for another hour and a half, but I let him go. As he's walking away, he looks back over his shoulder.

"You're going to be at the game, right?"

"Where else would I be?" We both laugh at this, both acknowledging the fact that I never voluntarily miss his games. "Don't worry Troy. I'll be on the front row, cheering on my favorite wildcat."

_She wears high heels, I wear sneakers _

_She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers_

_Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find_

_That what you're looking for has been here the whole time_

_If you could see that I'm the one who understands you_

_Been here all along, so why can't you see?_

_You belong with me_

_Standing by and waiting at your back door_

_All this time how could you not know?_

_Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me_

East won, just like everyone said they would. The game was intense, and I must have lost ten years off my life due to the excitement of the last two minutes. There's no better feeling than sitting through a close game, both teams playing as hard as they can, the score tied with only minutes left on the clock. I can still remember the last few seconds as Chad stole the ball from the inbounding West player and went in for a layup. My heart stopped as it rolled off the edge of the rim, then started pounding again when Troy appeared out of nowhere, grabbing the rebound and throwing it up just as the buzzer went off. The swish of the net was drowned out by the screams of the East fans, students and parents swarming off the bleachers to mob the victorious team.

Now, at eleven o'clock, I was waiting for Troy to get home. He'd texted me earlier, asking me to meet him at his house. This was a normal thing for Troy, because even though his dad is pretty cool, letting him stay out late, even on school nights, he would still flip out if he came home drunk, and that's where I come in. I'm the one that would help Troy get to his room as noiselessly as possible, which is hard to do when Troy is drunk off his ass, and I have a feeling he will be. The victory parties are always huge on game nights, and this was a big game. People always wonder why I don't go to the parties with Troy, because being his best friend means I would have no problem getting in, and the answer is simple. I don't want to go. I've never seen the point of crowding into a house with people I hardly know, watching while they drink their weight in alcohol while also trying to avoid the couples that are basically having sex with their clothes on. Why someone would think of this as a good time, I have no idea.

I turn my head as I see a car pull up in front of Troy's house, and I recognize it as Chad's. I walk towards it as Troy opens the door and proceeds to fall out on the lawn. I quickly grab his arm and pull him up, thanking Chad for driving him home. He just smiles and shakes his head, pulling away from the curb as I attempt to direct the much larger Troy towards his house. I can already tell this is going to be one of those nights to remember.

_Oh, I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the _

_night_

_I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're_

'_bout to cry_

_And I know your favorite songs and you tell me 'bout your_

_Dreams_

_Think I know where you belong, think I know it's with me_

One of the main reasons why I actually believe that Troy and I together would work is because I know he trusts me more than anyone. I'm the one that he tells his embarrassing secrets to, the person he confides in. I can tell you more about Troy Bolton than anyone else on the planet, and he can do the same with me.

I can still remember the time when he showed up at my house in the middle of the night. It was around two in the morning and I'd just finished studying for a U.S. government test that I had tomorrow. Like I said, I'm a nerd. I had just started falling asleep when someone knocked on my window. My mind immediately started thinking of serial killers and rapists. When I had gathered the courage to check the balcony connected to my room, I was only too relieved to see Troy standing outside. I quickly opened the door and let him inside.

"Troy, are you trying to send me into cardiac arrest?" I saw this in an annoyed tone, completely intent on telling him off, and then I turn around. I've never seen Troy look so broken up. His eyes were blood shot and his hair was sticking up all over the place. He was dressed in a loose t-shirt and sweats, looking nothing like his usual perfect self. As he looks at me with that heartbreaking stare, I say the first thing that pops into my head.

"Gosh, you shouldn't have gotten all dressed up for little ol' me." I say with a smirk, trying to distract him from whatever has him so messed up. My attempt is successful, his smile barely there, but there none the less. I walk over to my bed and sit down, Troy sitting next to me. He grabs my hand and just holds on, not saying a word. I let him, somehow knowing that he needs the silence right now. Finally, he turns his head and says something that I never thought would leave his mouth.

"My parents are getting a divorce."

My mouth drops in shock, because I honestly didn't see that coming. For the whole time I've known Troy, his parents have always seemed like the perfect couple, sharing the kind of love that people look for their entire lives. Apparently, that isn't the case. I can see that Troy is on the verge of tears, and know that he would hate for me to see him cry. I try and think of something, anything, to take his mind off the situation.

"I was sexually assaulted by a dog last week." I don't care that this is possibly the most embarrassing thing I've ever said. It's worth it when Troy throws me a puzzled look and I see the ghost of a smile on his lips.

"What?"

"You heard me. I was just walking towards my house after school, minding my own business, when this giant fur ball hurled itself at me. I was lying on the ground, trying to figure out what just happened, when the disgusting beast starts humping me! By this point, I'm just hoping that no one is around to witness this, but of course a whole group of people runs up to me, and someone, who I'm assuming was the dog's owner, tries to pull him off. But no, he's not stopping. It actually took three people to tear him away.

"So now, I'm lying on the ground with the owner apologizing like crazy, and I of course just want to run inside, which I manage to do after finally convincing the guy that I'm not going to kill his dog or something. I don't think I've ever been more mortified in my life." By the end of my story, Troy is sprawled on my bed, laughing his ass off.

"Well," he manages between spurts of laughter, "at least you know that guys find you attractive, even if they are part of another species." At which point I pushed him off the bed, knowing that Troy would be just fine.

_Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you?_

_Been here all along, so why can't you see?_

_You belong with me_

It's because of moments like that, that I can't understand how Troy can't see that we would be perfect together. We are both into the same kind of things, even if he is a jock and I'm a nerd. We understand each other better than anyone else and can recite the other's life story without hesitation. I'm never more comfortable than when I'm with him, and no matter what happens in my life, I know that he will always be there for me. Add in the fact that he is by far the best looking guy I've ever seen, is it any wonder that I'm in love with him?

_Standing by and waiting at your back door _

_All this time, how could you not know?_

_Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me_

It hurts to stand back and watch him be with someone else, especially someone like Natalie who doesn't appreciate him like he should be. I know that I should just suck it up and tell him how I feel, and there are times when I get close to doing just that. Then all my long-standing insecurities and doubts come rushing back, and I know that I will never take that plunge. As long as I'm unwilling to take a risk, I know that Troy and I will be nothing more than friends.

_You belong with me_

_Have you ever thought just maybe_

_You belong with me?_

_You belong with me_


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: This was originally going to be a one-shot, but I decided to continue it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical**

I never had the intention of telling Troy my feelings for him. He obviously wasn't interested or he would have made a move by now, because really, what were the chances that all this time he had been madly in love with me, but, like me, was just too scared to say it.

Like I said, I never planned to announce my love for him to Troy himself, or anyone else for that matter, but it started to look like I had no choice but do to so in my current situation. I was standing in my room with Troy, trying to think of a way to avoid the question he asked me. Seriously, who just asks someone if they are in love with them, point blank, with no warning? If you ask me, it's a little conceited to assume that a person is in love with you. I was tempted to lie and say I wasn't just to make him feel like an ass, but I knew that I couldn't because one, he could always tell when I was lying, and two, I knew that this was the best chance I had to finally share the secret that had been bothering me for the last few years. Yet, like always, the nagging doubt that he would reject me and I would lose him was there, the only thing holding me back.

I dragged my eyes from the floor and settled them on Troy's face, his eyes expectant. I took a deep breath, my decision made. Before I spoke, one thought flashed through my mind. _'Thank you Natalie, for complicating my life yet again.'_

**One week earlier.**

The posters for winter prom taunted me as I walked through the halls of East High, their presence a constant reminder that, like always, I wouldn't be going to another school dance. I don't think I've ever been to one, not because I've never been asked, but because I was never asked by the only person I wanted to go with. You know you are hopelessly in love when you can't even date other guys. It's even worse for me because every guy I meet I automatically compare to Troy, and no matter who it is, they never measure up. I knew that my classmates thought I was pitiful, a senior who had never been to a dance, but I didn't care. I've never bothered with my image because the opinions of others didn't affect me. That didn't mean I didn't care, that I didn't sit home on those nights while everyone else was having fun, wondering what it would be like to join them, to forget for one second that I was in love with my best friend, instead of sitting in my room, doing my AP calculus homework. Who says I don't know how to have a good time?

"Whoever is in charge of the dance should be shot. I mean, 'The Last Waltz'? Could it be any cheesier?" My best friend, Taylor, said this in a disgusted tone, her eyes surveying the seemingly endless amount of posters that lined the walls.

"That doesn't seem to be stopping you from going with Chad." I laughed quietly at Sharpay's words, quickly smiling at her before turning my head to the other side, wanting to see Taylor's reaction. She gave an indignant huff, tossing her hair over her shoulder before replying.

"Well, it's not like I could say no, he's my boyfriend." Sharpay and I shared a knowing smirk while walking into homeroom. We both knew that even though Taylor acted like the traditional high school experience didn't interest her, she really loved every part of it. As if to prove that point, Chad came up and immediately engulfed her in a hug. If Taylor really didn't want the stereotypical high school life, she wouldn't be dating one of the star basketball players. She also wouldn't go to every school dance, and despite her unending supply of criticism, she never missed one.

"What about you Gabs? Are you finally going to accept any of those invites that are inevitably going to come?" Sharpay asked me a similar question every time a school dance rolled around, and my answer was always the same.

"Nope." I cheerfully said. "Has Zeke asked you yet?" I know, a lame attempt to change the subject, but it worked. Sharpay's face lit up, her attention successfully diverted by the mention of her boyfriend.

"He asked me last night, and of course we had to do a little celebrating" I grimaced, knowing exactly what she meant by 'celebrating'.

"Please, spare me the details." She just laughed, walking over to her seat on the far side of the room as the bell rang. I took my seat in the back, looking up when I heard Troy's voice outside the door. He was talking to Natalie, her back facing me. From the irritated look on Troy's face I knew they were arguing, which is the only thing they ever do these days.

"Mr. Bolton, would you care to join us?" Ms. Darbus' voice caused Troy's head to snap in her direction, and he gave her a sheepish smile. He said a few words to Natalie before walking into the class.

"Sorry Ms. Darbus, I didn't hear the bell." She sent him a disbelieving glare, but didn't reprimand him while he took his seat in the front of the room, Chad in the seat behind him. I always thought it was hilarious that the two people who couldn't stand Darbus were put right in front of her chair. Troy and Chad never could see the humor in the situation.

While Darbus droned on about the morning announcements, I sent Troy a text.

_What was that about?_

I looked up and saw Troy pull out his phone and read the message before slightly turning his head in my direction. He quickly tapped a reply and seconds later I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

_Nat was freaking about the dance. U know how she is._

It was comment like that which confused me. Troy was always complaining about something related to Natalie, yet he never broke up with her. I knew that if this kept up for long I would be forced to say something to him or I would go crazy from sitting back and watching him be with someone who obviously didn't make him happy.

The rest of homeroom quickly passed, and soon I was walking towards my first period with Troy. He was ranting about what a pain in the ass Natalie was being, her concerns about the dance driving him insane. I was vaguely listening, knowing that Troy wasn't really expecting me to provide any feedback on what he was saying and only wanted to vent his frustration. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my arm, stopping my progress down the hall. Troy walked another few feet before realizing that I wasn't at his side anymore, and then turned around to see me standing there. His eyes focused on something behind me, and I turned my head to see what had caught his attention, only to see Blake Collins staring down at me. It was his hand that grasped my arm, which he quickly released after seeing that he had gotten my attention.

"Gabriella, could I talk to you for a minute?" Blake seemed nervous, surprisingly. He was usually confident, bordering on cocky. I heard my name and glanced over my shoulder to see Troy waiting for me. I looked back at Blake, his face pleading for me to stay.

"Go ahead; I'll just be a second." Troy shrugged before turning around and continuing towards class. I enjoyed the view of his retreating back before a cough from Blake brought my attention back to him.

"So what did you need to talk about?" Blake blushed, something that I found strangely adorable, his grey-blue eyes shifting between my face and the floor. He flipped his straight brown hair to clear it from his face. Blake was cute, every girl in the school would agree with me, and that was part of the reason he was one of the most popular guys in school. He was also the captain of the football team, who admittedly weren't at the championship level like the basketball team, but they weren't horrible either. I'd never really talked to Blake before, mostly because we didn't have any classes together due to the fact that he had never been one of the smartest guys, but he seemed nice enough from the few conversations we had shared.

"I was just wondering if you would like to go with me to the dance. I know that you've never really been into that sort of thing, but I was really hoping you would give it a chance. I promise we would have a good time, and if you don't like it I'll drive you home myself." I couldn't help but smile at his eager speech. He really was a sweet guy and I knew that any other girl would kill to go with him to the dance, but I wasn't every other girl.

I tried to think of a way to let him down easy, but I stopped, and for the first time I considered saying yes. What would be the harm in going? I had a feeling that Blake was telling the truth about us having a good time. From what I'd heard, he was the life of the party, and to be honest, I wanted to go. Admittedly, my first choice for a date wasn't him, but considering the fact that going with Troy wasn't even an option, he wasn't the worst alternative. I looked into his hopeful eyes and, with a little smile, I leaned up and whispered in his ear.

"Sure."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: For the note scene Troy is in italics and Gabriella is in bold.**

**Disclaimer: Like usual, I don't own High School Musical**

I made it to class just as the bell rang, but my mind was still on the conversation with Blake. I took my seat next to Troy, pulling out my notebook to take notes on the lecture that Mr. Thomas was giving on polar coordinates. I had barely started writing when a note landed on my desk. I threw a disapproving look at Troy, but opened it none the less. No matter how many times I told Troy to pay attention in class, he continued to pass notes, always claiming his _best friend_ would help him with the homework, so what was the point in wasting the energy to actually learn it. I would reply with a threat that his _best friend_ was tired of helping him and would no longer do it, but he never took my threat seriously, knowing that all he had to do was show me the puppy dog eyes and I would cave.

_Do you have any idea what Thomas is talking about?_

**Of course. You would too if you listened for once.**

_Stop talking crazy Brie. So…What did Blake want?_

**He asked me to the dance.**

I passed the note back, seeing Troy smirk while he read my answer. He quickly scribbled something before tossing it back to me.

_How did he take the rejection?_

I hesitated with my answer, wondering what Troy would think of me going with Blake, but realized that it didn't matter what Troy thought. If he didn't like me going to the dance, he should have done something about it, like ask me himself, but that was just wishful thinking. For all I knew, Troy would be thrilled that I had finally decided to socialize and he wouldn't even care that I was going on a date.

Because that's what it was, a date.

With Blake Collins.

To the winter prom.

Okay, that just sounded too weird, even if it was true.

**I said yes.**

I passed the note, nervously waiting while Troy read it, because no matter what I told myself, it did matter what he thought. Troy was my best friend, and I wanted him to agree with what I did. Not that it would change my mind if he didn't, but it would be nice all the same. Troy unfolded the note, his eyes skimming along until he got to my latest entry. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped a little, the shock evident on his face.

"You said yes?!" His outburst caught the attention of the whole class, including Mr. Thomas. They all turned to look at Troy as he stared at me in disbelief.

"Is there a problem Troy?" Mr. Thomas asked with a baffled look on his face, one that usually never left. Mr. Thomas was one of those teachers that seemed to live in a state of oblivion. Troy pulled his gaze away from me with what looked like great difficulty, finally focusing on Mr. Thomas.

"Um, no Mr. Thomas, I'm good." Mr. Thomas seemed satisfied with Troy's answer and turned back to the board to continue with the lesson. The other students did the same, some with more reluctance than others, until Troy and I were back to being ignored. Troy wrote furiously on the note before throwing it back at me with just a little too much force.

_You said yes? Why? You've never even considered going on a date, let alone to a dance. And Blake Collins? Of all the guys to choose from, you picked him? The guy's not exactly the sharpest crayon in the box. _

**Why do you care so much? And how do you know I haven't thought about dating? Maybe I've already been on a date, and you just don't know it. It's not like I tell you everything. What's so bad about Blake? I admit, he's not exactly Einstein, but he's a nice guy, and I've never heard anything bad about him. Besides, it's none of your business who I go out with, you have no say in that matter.**

_Of course you haven't been on a date. I care because I don't want to see you getting hurt or wasting your time on someone who doesn't deserve it. You obviously haven't heard everything about him then, because he's a total douche. It is my business, and I don't think you should go with him._

As I read the note, my anger grew with each sentence. 'Of course you haven't been on a date'! How insulting is that? How dare he assume that no one would want to date me. Just because I'm not a total slut doesn't mean guys don't find me attractive or interesting. For him to talk about wasting my time on someone who doesn't deserve it is so hypocritical. Do I even need to mention his dysfunctional relationship with Natalie? Apparently that answer is yes, I do.

**OMG! If anyone is a douche in this situation, it's you. I can't believe you. And don't even try and give me relationship advice when you are stuck in one with that shrew. Where the hell do you get off telling me what to do? **

I flung the note at him, hitting him in the chest. He was still reading it when the bell rang, so I snatched up my things and stomped angrily into the hall, not bothering to wait for him. I figured it was best if we didn't speak to each other at the moment or we would both end up saying things we would later regret. At least I knew I would, because some of the things in my mind concerning him were definitely not G rated.

I slammed my books down on the table when I reached the library for study hall. Sharpay and Taylor stared at me as I flopped down in my chair and proceeded to flip the pages of my English book so hard that one of them tore. I could feel my friends' eyes on me, and when I looked up they both had slightly curious looks on their faces.

"What?" I all but shouted at them.

"Hello to you as well Gabriella. Oh, I'm fine, how about you?" Taylor's sarcastic tone was not lost on me.

"Seriously Gabs, should we be fearing for our lives right now?" Sharpay asked in a mock serious voice. I sighed, knowing that I had been taking my frustrations with Troy out on them.

"Sorry guys, I'm just not in a very good mood right now." They nodded in understanding.

"Its fine, but you have to tell us what happened that has you PMSing so bad in exchange for our forgiveness." Sharpay said with Taylor nodding in agreement. I quickly told them about Blake asking me to the dance and that I had said yes (after which I had to wait five minutes for Sharpay to stop squealing with excitement. You would think I had told her I was getting married by the way she went off). After I had finished giving them an in detail description of my fight with Troy, I sat back to listen to their input on the situation. Taylor spoke first.

"Let me get this straight. Blake asked you to the dance, you accepted, and Troy flipped out about it." She looked at me, and I nodded my head in confirmation.

"Well, there are two possible reasons why Troy acted the way he did." I interrupted Sharpay before she could continue with her theory.

"He's a dick?" I guessed, only half joking. Sharpay scowled, ignoring me.

"He's either being way to overprotective or he's jealous." She finished, smiling as if she had just solved all of life's mysteries. I, on the other hand, was confused.

"I get the overprotective thing, but jealous? I don't think so. I mean, what would he have to be jealous of in the first place?" They looked at me as if I was slow, something I'm not used to.

"Gabs," Taylor began, "he's jealous that Blake is taking you to the dance." I couldn't help it, I started laughing.

"Sure he is." I said after I had calmed down. "Are you guys forgetting the fact that Troy and I are just friends, nothing more? If Troy really had a thing for me, he would have told me by now. Plus, he already has a girlfriend, remember?" I didn't even see how they could possibly think Troy was interested in me. If that were true, I would have noticed, I would have seen some sort of evidence of his feelings in all the years we had known each other.

"Just like you've told him how you feel?" My eyes widened at Sharpay's words. I had never told them about my feelings for Troy, not because I didn't trust them, I'd just never found the right time. I also knew that if I did tell them, they would immediately start plotting ways to get me and Troy together. I knew it would be pointless to lie now, seeing as I was a horrible liar and they would see right through me.

"You guys don't understand." I said in a quite voice.

"What, we don't understand that you are madly in love with Troy but are too chicken to tell him?" Sharpay said in an annoyed voice. Okay, maybe they did get it.

"Listen, I know you guys are just trying to help, but I'm not going to tell Troy anything, no matter how much you think I should. So just drop it." I dismissed the conversation by looking down at my book, trying to concentrate, but the furious whispers next to me were too distracting. I spend the rest of the period trying to ignore Taylor and Sharpay, both of them trying to talk to me about the whole Blake/Troy thing. I finally ended up moving to another table, completely fed up with my friends meddling. I put my things into my bag and walked out of the library with Taylor and Sharpay, the trip to the lunch room spent in silence. After grabbing lunch, we sat at our usual table, being joined by the rest of our friends a short while later.

Lunch was awkward, to say the least. Troy, Sharpay, Taylor, and I were silent. Chad and Zeke kept trying to talk to their respective girlfriends and weren't having much luck. Kelsi, Ryan, and Martha tried to keep a conversation going, but I could tell that it was forced. Jason, like always, was oblivious to anything going on around him. After lunch, the rest of the day passed in a blur, and I was thankfully able to make it to my car without being ambushed by one of the people that I was currently angry with, the list of which had grown quite a bit today.

When I reached my house, I felt my phone go off in my pocket, but waited until I was in my room before checking it, seeing that it was a text from Troy.

_Truce?_

That's it, no apology or explanation for the way he acted. If he thought I was going to forgive him that easily, he really needed to pull his head out of his ass. I looked over my text before pressing send, feeling that it conveyed my thoughts perfectly.

_Go screw yourself._

**Thanks for the reviews, they really help. **

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	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Don't own HSM.**

The following day Troy attempted to talk to me. I thought he was finally going to apologize, but he simply acted like everything was normal. Had he forgotten the seven text messages and five phone calls from him that I had ignored the previous night? Apparently he had a selective memory because he seemed to have also forgotten that I was angry with him, but I quickly reminded him of that when I walked away from him that morning, completely disregarding what he had been in the middle of saying. If he thought he could act like a total jerk and I would forgive him, without an apology none the less, he better get used to talking to himself, because I sure as hell wasn't going to be around to listen to him. After that, Troy started ignoring me as well, a wall of silence appearing whenever we were in the same vicinity as the other, which made math rather uncomfortable. From what I heard from Chad, Troy had gotten offended when I had walked away from him in the hall that morning and my silence towards him had only caused him to get angrier. Chad also told me that he couldn't understand why I was being such a bitch about the whole situation, saying he agreed with Troy about me going to the dance with Blake. I'm now ignoring Chad as well.

The day hadn't been a complete failure as far as my friends went. I walked into second period, barely making it through the door before being engulfed in a hug from both Taylor and Sharpay, both of whom immediately started apologizing for the other day.

"We're so sorry. We didn't mean to butt into your life; we were just trying to help."

"If you want to go with Blake to the dance, we totally support you. Even if you're still mad at us, we just wanted you to know that." I looked at the pitiful faces of my best friends and couldn't help but smile.

"Guys, it's okay. I know you meant well and the only reason I was angry in the first place was because of Troy. I'm not mad at you." I said with a laugh. They both smiled and we continued to talk until the bell rang, forcing us into silence as each of us worked on our individual projects. The bell rang entirely too soon and I reluctantly started for the lunch room with Taylor and Sharpay. This would be the first time that I would see Troy since this morning. I calmly made my way through the lunch line, never glancing in Troy's direction. After paying for my lunch, instead of walking to our usual table, I led Taylor and Sharpay to one a few tables over. I could feel my other friends' eyes on my back, especially Troy's, but I ignored them while I sat down and attempted to eat. Taylor and Sharpay sat on either side of me, each looking over their shoulder.

"Wild guess here, but are you still fighting with Troy?" Sharpay asked while picking up her fork to begin eating her own lunch. I gave a brief nod. We ate in silence, the table feeling empty compared to the usually overcrowded one we were used to.

"Troy keeps looking over here." Taylor mumbled, her eyes continually shifting to stare in said person's direction.

"He can look all he wants. Until he deigns me worthy enough of an apology, I have no intention of talking to him." I said haughtily, never once turning my head to confirm that what Taylor said was true. No matter how much I wanted to.

The next two days proceeded in the same fashion. I knew mine and Troy's feud was putting a strain on our friends, especially Taylor, Sharpay, Chad, and Zeke. Both couples had gotten in fights because Taylor and Sharpay had sided with me while Chad and Zeke were with Troy. I didn't hold it against the boys, Troy was like a brother to them, but Taylor and Sharpay didn't hold the same sentiment. They felt it was their boyfriends' duty to agree with them, no matter what the issue was. Our once tight group had split into two because of Troy's stupid pride. All he had to do was apologize and everything would go back to normal.

My whole life was messed up without Troy. Everything in my house seemed to have a memory of Troy attached to it, making it impossible for me to find peace, even in my own home. Every time I saw something interesting or heard something funny I would think '_Troy will love this'_ and reach for my phone to call him, only to realize that I didn't have that option at the moment, and I firmly believed that it was only for this short time. I refused to think that Troy and I wouldn't reconcile eventually, finding it impossible to imagine my life without him in it. Even with this thought in mind, the last few days had been the most miserable and awkward ones of my life. Since I was nine years old, the age that I had moved to Albuquerque, there hasn't been a single day that I haven't talked to Troy in some way. Whether it was a quick hello on a busy day or hours of conversation during one of the many nights that I stayed at his house, I had always had some form of contact with Troy in the last eight years.

It had only been three days since we had spoken, yet it felt like a lifetime because the person I loved more than anyone else wasn't a part of my life.

oOo

It was Friday, the day before the dance, and I planned to spend most of the afternoon and night making sure I was ready for tomorrow. I talked to Blake to confirm what time he was going to pick me up, who was going to be in our group, what color tie he should wear so that it would match my dress (Sharpay said it was crucial that this happen, but personally I didn't see the importance), and the other details usually associated with these types of things. After school I was dragged to the mall by Sharpay who was entirely too happy to treat me like a life-size Barbie, forcing me to try on dress after dress until we found the "perfect" one and forcing my feet into so many different shoes that they all started to blend together. Thankfully Taylor was there and she managed to convince Sharpay that we had done enough shopping for the day seeing as my entire dance attire had been bought, from my makeup to my shoes. We left the mall around 8 o'clock and I quickly dropped each of them off at their houses before turning in the direction of my own. I was stopped at a light, the radioing blaring from my speakers.

"All my single ladies! All my single ladies!" The thought that Troy would have been making fun of me for listening to Beyonce flitted across my mind before I my head to clear it of that thought, reminding myself that I wasn't supposed to be moping about him any more. I turned the music up to drown out my thoughts, looking out my window as I did so. The lyrics died on my lips as I saw Troy staring back at me, his appearance so unexpected that it made me jump. Upon closer inspection I noticed he was sitting in the passenger seat of Troy's car with Zeke and Jason in the back while Chad was driving. I turned my head forward, but I could still feel Troy staring at me. I saw movement in the corner of my vision, but in my determination to ignore Troy I paid it no mind. I heard the back door of my car open and my head swiveled around to see Troy climbing into my backseat. My head whipped around to check that I wasn't imagining things, but the seat where Troy had been sitting moments earlier was empty and Chad, Zeke, and Jason were staring at my backseat in shock, probably as surprised as I was that Troy had jumped in my car. I turned back around to stare at Troy with wide eyes.

"What are you doing?!" I shrieked, my voice sounding shrill even to my ears. Troy didn't respond immediately, only staring at me with an unreadable expression.

"Green light Brie." He said while nodding his head forward, directing my attention to the line of moving cars in front of me. I quickly pressed down on the gas, trying to keep my focus on the road, but my eyes kept sending fleeting glances back at Troy through the rearview mirror. Every time I looked, my eyes would connect with Troy's, his intense blue gaze forcing mine to stare straight ahead each time. I'd finally had enough with his silence and decided to speak.

"Do you mind moving up front? I'm starting to feel like I'm driving Ms. Daisy." I said irritably. For a few seconds it seemed like Troy was going to ignore my request, but I heard him shift before his legs appeared across the consol, the rest of his body following as he settled into the seat next to me. The ride continued in relative silence, the radio mixed with the street sounds from outside the only noise in the car. I didn't know whether Troy was expecting me to take him home or not, but I didn't want to be stuck driving him home later from my house, the ride so far had been uncomfortable enough, so ten minutes later I found myself pulling into the Bolton driveway. I turned off the engine, plunging the car into complete silence. We sat in the darkness, our breathing sounding loud in the quiet night.

"I'm sorry Brie." I turned to look at Troy as he spoke, not sure if he was doing what I thought he was doing. He took a deep breath before continuing. "I overreacted about the whole Blake thing, but I was too stubborn to admit it. I've been stupid and the past couple days have sucked." Troy looked over at me, his expression sad. "I miss you Brie." As he said the last part, his voice so quiet and pathetic, I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck in a tight embrace.

"Ah, Troy! I've missed you too. I'm glad you realized what an idiot you've been, because I was getting really tired of trying to ignore you." He chuckled at my statement, his own arms coming around my back to hold me tight. I pulled back slightly so I could look at his face, noticing his silly grin, one that most likely matched the one currently adorning my own face. We just sat there, staring at each other and enjoying each other's company.

"Want to come in? We can watch a movie and get sick eating junk food." It was a way that we had spent numerous nights, nothing special, but it sounded like the best thing in the world right now. I looked at him for a few seconds before jumping out of the car, calling back over my shoulder to a laughing Troy who was barely getting out of the car.

"I get to pick the movie." I reached the porch and raced up to the door, but stopped before I opened it, noticing that Troy hadn't moved from the side of the car. "Are you coming?"

He stared at me for a few more seconds before shaking his head like he was trying to bring himself back to the present. He quickly made his way towards me, jumping up the few steps to the front door. He slung an arm around my shoulders while he opened the door.

"You pick the movie, I'll grab the supplies." With a squeeze to my shoulders he dropped his arm and walked in the direction of the kitchen. Twenty minutes later I was curled up into Troy's side, his arm again resting across my shoulders. As I snuggled my head on Troy's chest, a content feeling spread through my body, the one that I only get when I'm with him. This further confirmed the fact that no matter how hard I tried to ignore him or get over him, Troy would always be a part of my life, the only guy I could ever see myself with.

It was on that Friday night, watching _Wedding Crashers_, that I decided it was time Troy knew how I felt. It didn't matter that he might reject me because I could no longer keep this secret to myself. I didn't know when or where I would reveal my feelings for him, but I knew it had to happen. I didn't want to be that girl ten years from now who looked back on her life and wondered 'what if'. If I was going to end up a cliché, I'd rather it be the one where the girl finds out that the guys she's been in love with for years actually loves her back and they live happily ever after.

Yep, that one definitely sounded much more appealing.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Okay, it's been awhile since I've updated. Summer has just been crazy with basketball and my family, plus I've become pretty lazy now that school is over. Enough with my excuses, here's the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Do I really have to say anything? It should be obvious that I don't own HSM ******

"Wow Gabs, you clean up nice." I couldn't help but feel a little offended at Sharpay's words or the astonished looks that both she and Taylor were wearing. I threw them a scowl before turning back to the mirror.

"No need to sound too surprised Sharpay. It's not like I'm a bag lady under normal circumstances." I didn't need to mention the fact that I agreed with her. The hours of torture that had been inflicted upon me by my supposed friends had been worth it, the final outcome far surpassing my expectations. My makeup had been done flawlessly and every strand of hair was in place. The dress and shoes I had bought the previous day looked beautiful, the white a sharp contrast to my tan skin. Taylor and Sharpay were also ready, all of us having gotten ready at Sharpay's house. Sharpay was in her usual pink, the short, sparkly mini-dress only something she could pull off. Taylor had stuck to the classic black dress and conservative heels, looking like the politician she aspired to be, yet the dress was just a little too short and a little too tight for it to be labeled boring.

The sound of the doorbell caused the three of us to finish any last minute details and hurry downstairs to our waiting dates. Upon reaching the bottom of the staircase, I got my first look at Blake. He looked undeniably handsome in his classic black tux, and as our eyes connected I noticed the some what awed look that swept over his features, and the knowledge that it was because of me giving my ego a nice boost. I quickly looked to where Taylor and Sharpay were talking to their own dates. The sight of Chad in something other than basketball shorts and a Wildcats shirt was a rare occasion, but he pulled off the white suit nicely. I couldn't see all of Zeke due to the fact that Sharpay was wrapped around him, but what I did see of him was quite handsome. I returned my attention to Blake, giving him a smile as I walked towards him.

"You look beautiful Gabriella." I blushed at the compliment, and thanked him while he pinned the corsage to my dress. Blake turned to look at the other couples in our group, and seeing that they also seemed ready, asked, "The car's waiting out front. You guys ready to go?"

His question prompted me to squirm uncomfortably and the others to wear puzzled expressions. Sharpay looked at me, her confusion fading away. "You didn't tell him?" She said, a hint of disbelief evident in her voice. Blake looked between me and Sharpay before his gaze settled on me.

"Tell me what?" He questioned, and now he was the one wearing the confused look. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the part of the night I wasn't looking forward to.

"I was going to tell you, but it happened really late last night, and I didn't want to bother you. So I tried calling you earlier today, but you didn't pick up. I just figured I would tell you before they got here, which I guess is now." I paused in my rambling to see how Blake was reacting so far and saw that the look of confusion was still there, which was understandable seeing as I wasn't making much sense. "What I'm trying to tell you is that there were some last minute changes with the group." Silence followed my statement, until Blake spoke a few seconds later.

"What kind of changes?" I now saw suspicion mixed with the confusion.

"We decided to add another couple. Like I said, I tried to call you, but…" That last part was kind of a lie. I _did_ call him. It was at five in the morning, and I only waited for the phone to ring once, but I did call him.

"So, who else is coming?" There was definitely some apprehension in his voice, and I had a feeling that he knew who's name I was going to say.

"Oh, um. Troy and Natalie." I tried to say this casually, but my voice came out a little too high for me to sound believable.

"Bolton? You invited Bolton?!" And there's the anger I was waiting for. I don't know if I mentioned this, but Troy and Blake aren't really friends. Throughout high school there has always been a sort of rivalry between them because they are both captains of different sports, but it's escalated during the past week. I don't know if something happened to cause this, which isn't unlikely considering the way Troy reacted to the news that Blake was my date to prom, but lately they couldn't be near each other without dirty looks and even nastier words being exchanged. There for, I knew it wasn't the greatest idea to have the two of them in a small, enclosed space together, but Troy had the _brilliant_ idea that it would be fun for us to go to the dance together, especially since it was my first one. He also mentioned that he wanted to "keep an eye" on Blake, a comment that I ignored. After all the drama we had gone through during the past few days, I didn't want to do anything that would upset the peace between us, so I had stupidly said yes in the hopes that Blake wouldn't make a big deal out of it. I still wonder why my friends call me the smart one.

As if Troy knew when he was being talked about, the doorbell rang.

"Speak of the devil." I muttered as I hurried to answer the door. I opened the door, revealing a very handsome Troy in a black suit and a barely decent Natalie. That girl takes the word slut to a whole new level. Troy gave me a quick hug and then pulled Natalie with him into the house to greet the rest of our friends. I noticed that Natalie looked entirely unhappy to be here, something that made me feel a little happier. Troy had told me that the she-devil had thrown the mother of all bitch fits when he had told her that they were now going with our group instead of her friends, but this was apparently one of the few times that Troy couldn't be swayed from his decision.

I closed the door and turned around just in time to see Troy lock eyes with Blake, and suddenly it felt like a showdown was about to happen. They were across the room from each other, Troy surrounded by his friends, all of whom had their attention focused on the unavoidable conflict about to occur, while Blake stood alone, the fact that he was the outcast in our group even more pronounced. I saw Troy nod his head in greeting and Blake returned it. I held my breath, waiting for their verbal sparring to start, when, surprisingly, Troy turned his back and continued talking with Chad. I was shocked and relieved that that was as far as their interaction went. I assumed that Troy was trying not to ruin the night with his and Blake's constant arguing, something that I would have to thank him for later. I made my way to Blake's side, hesitantly peering up towards his face. His jaw was locked, and his eyes had an angry glint in them, yet when he spoke his words were calm.

"I wish you would have told me earlier." I sighed, knowing that I hadn't handled the situation well. If I was being honest, I knew that I had taken the coward's way out and hadn't handled it at all.

"I know, and I'm sorry that I ambushed you like that. I just, I didn't want there to be any trouble tonight. I wanted it to be fun. I know you and Troy don't get along, but could you please put aside your differences and ignore each other? I promise that if you do then Troy will do the same." I continued to stare at Blake after I had finished my little speech. He remained silent for a minute or so, but eventually his body relaxed and his face softened. He looked down at me and gave me a little smile.

"I won't start anything if he doesn't." Good enough for me. I slipped my hand into the crook of his arm and spoke loud enough so everyone could hear me. "Ready to go?"

"Hells yes!" Sharpay's outburst caused everyone to smile and effectively broke any remaining tension in the room. We then made our way to the limo waiting outside. As I was walking towards the limo, Sharpay caught up to me and leaned in to whisper something in my ear.

"Can you believe what Natalie is wearing? I think I have underwear that covers up more than that thing she calls a dress." I couldn't help but laugh, and when Blake looked at me, a silent question written on his face, I simply shook my head. As we all settled into the limo and the driver started the drive to East, I looked around at the smiling faces of all my friends, and I started to think that the hope I had that everything would be fine and the night would turn out to be a success was actually going to happen.

As long as Carrie didn't show up covered in pig's blood, I couldn't think of anything that could ruin tonight.

Why is it you always think something along those lines before something disastrous happens?

**AN: So this was written around midnight and I didn't beta it, so sorry for any mistakes.**


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